Prayers as you each prepare for Thanksgiving. Know that I am thankful for your part in the UMC, and grateful that we get to serve you! The next month is often full of planning efforts here at Discipleship Ministries because of Advent. There are big things on the horizon in 2020, and prayers for all of your mid-winter events. If you have specific things I can help develop, or recruit support for, please, please – let me know!
EVENTS
- Jan 6-9, 2020 Perkins School of Youth Ministry http://www.perkinsyouth.com The tradition of excellent, intentionally practical, and intentionally theological youth ministry training at PSYM is still open for registration. A 4-day Foundations course is an amazing offering for those new to youth ministry in the UMC, or those who want to solidify the Foundation of their ministry. A wide selection of workshops is perfect for experienced and advanced leaders.
- Jan. 23-24, 2020 Pre-General Conference Briefing https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/united-methodist-news-hosts-pre-general-conference-briefing Hosted by GCFA in Nashville, TN, this gathering will help inform and prepare those planning to attend General Conference in May of 2020.
- Got an event you’d like us to highlight? Email cwilterdink@umcdiscipleship.org
TRENDS
- Almost half of practicing Christian Millennials say that evangelism is wrong. (What trends are you seeing in young people?) https://www.barna.com/research/millennials-oppose-evangelism/
- Physical safety, mental breakdown dangers, and other interesting behavioral changes related to smartphone use (long read, but really interesting!) https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
- Opinion piece on why young people are skipping church and not coming back https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-millennials-are-skipping-church-and-not-going-back/2019/10/27/0d35b972-f777-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html?goal=0_8860cd154e-bb36a18420-241252401&mc_cid=bb36a18420&mc_eid=a85154ef6a&utm_campaign=bb36a18420-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_07_30_08_16_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Master%20List
RESOURCES
- TIMELY: Faith, Justice, & Impeachment: a Discussion Guide for Youth https://youthworkercollective.com/faith-justice-and-impeachment-a-discussion-guide-for-youth/
- Faith Based Discussion Companion to the Mr. Rogers “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” movie was written by myself and other Discipleship Ministries staff. That resource, and others available at http://resources.abeautifulday.movie/
- We are changing data/list management software, so some of you will see invitations to “resubscribe” to a young people’s mailing list. Please do so. We’ll be blasting out information to our whole network of folks, and keeping this email specifically for those of you at the Annual Conference level.
OPPORTUNITIES
- WESLEY WEEK in Taizé, France, for 18-30 year olds | August 2-9, 2020. More info here: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/calendar/event/wesley-week-gathering-for-young-adults-in-taize%CC%81-france/ Basic Details:
- Around $150 for registration and lodging for the week! (Super cheap, and you’d camp in a tent…but what a deal!) You can register and book your own travel if you want to coordinate your own on-the-ground transportation in France.
- Young People’s Ministries is considering organizing a bus from Lyon in support of those traveling from abroad to Taizé. The link above has more information and a link to request more information about that potential bus…
- Updates to the EPWORTH DOCUMENT. Thank you to Michelle Moore, for working on some updates to this document. It is currently being reviewed, and will be shared with this group in December for feedback and signatures. This document is designed to be the primary advocacy document outlining the rights and expectations of adults leading in youth ministry. It is meant to be a living document for a few weeks, and then we will work to get your names and signatures on it. Items like this are most powerful when we put our collective weight behind them.
Many thanks, and I look forward to seeing some of you in Tampa at the NYWC! Will write again in December!!!
Chris Wilterdink
Director, Young People’s Ministries
UMC Discipleship Ministries
cwilterdink@umcdiscipleship.org
